Archive for January, 2008
I hope the title got your attention….it’s nice to not be needed.
January 20th sicknesses kept this preacher from being able to preach…but it was a good thing. I had to depend on God and His people. As I sat at home during the worship hour I thought about our church and events that were currently taking place without me. I believe one of the successes of a pastoral leadership is to have people equipped around you who can carry on in your absence. Everyone did just that…we worshipped God in truth and spirit…everyone did their part and we functioned as a body. Thanks to everyone, especially Rick for preaching on such short notice, the deacons helping Rick with Lord’s Supper and everyone else for being supportive and doing your ministry.
It was nice to not be needed…I better watch out or I may lead myself out of a job 
PC
Life…it is something we all call sacred. You ask any American if Human life is important and precious, the answer is going to be yes. SO life is something we are all in agreement on. However, it is also one of the most dividing issues in our nation and culture as well.
January 20, 2008 was Sanctity of Life Sunday. It is a time for churches not only to focus on Abortion issues but all areas of life. We need to respect the human life of all human beings, deal with issues of war, mercy killings, environment issues and so forth. We say we value life…but do we? Why does the issue of life so divide us?
I believe the reason life divides us comes from our perspective and believe in a Creator God. It seems there are two main veins of philosophy…either God is the Creator who governs all areas of life or we are. If God created us He sets the rules of life, if we don’t have a respect for a Creator then we set the rules. Let this be clear, God is the Creator and Life belongs to Him. Our ideologies, philosophies, political associations, and so forth should honor the sacredness of life to the best of our abilities and understandings. (Yes, I know that is a powerful statement…but there is not other biblical position on can take but to honor life if we serve the God of the Scriptures).
As I write this let me say that sometimes preserving life may call for the ending of life. I know many call that contradictory. But it isn’t. I believe the God of the Bible is a God life, but He is also a God of Justice, Mercy and so forth. For instance, God does not call for us to let evil prevail through pacifism. It would be morally wrong to do nothing about a murder if we had the ability to stop it even if it took lethal force on our behalf. It would be wrong to not allow our police officers to take lethal force if needed to protect our citizens. It would be wrong to allow genocide or terrorism to exist without combating these evils and so forth. I share these examples simply to state the obvious, sometimes there are some ethical issues in which decisions are not always black and white, but in most cases it is pretty straight forward on the sacredness of life. Especially pertaining to abortion when nearly 96% of all abortions are for a matter of choice.
I want to encourage you to take some time to reflect on life. How precious it is and how dividing is it. What position do you have and why? Take the time to think your views through with God’s leading and with guidance of the Word of God.
In the end you will discover that Life is not a choice, but a gift from God…defending life is a matter of life and death. We as Christians are to hold life sacred and our choices, words, and behaviors should reflect this sacredness in all we do and say.
Hope is such a big word…Hope is something we all want…but hope is at its greatest when we have moments of despair and desperately turn to God. This past week I have relived somethings that I would rather forget. I cannot reveal the content but I can speak in generalities. People and situations came my way this week that resurfaced some deep pain. Although I did not want to deal with them, I did. I turned to God and stood by my the truth. Throughtout the week God has given me strength and even hope about what is a dismal experience of betrayal and deception that seems to linger to this day. God has given me Hope that He can help me rise above the hurt, slander, falsehood, and persecution. God has shown that blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake…once again God has taught me that hope in trying times must come through trust in Him. He has also given me the Hope that know matter what He will protect my character and someday all things will be clearly seen for what they are…the truth has and will always set us free.
Thank you God for a Hope that is a true Hope that only you can give.
Hope is such a big word…Hope is something we all want…but hope is at its greatest when we have moments of despair and desperately turn to God. This past week I have relived somethings that I would rather forget. I cannot reveal the content but I can speak in generalities. People and situations came my way this week that resurfaced some deep pain. Although I did not want to deal with them, I did. I turned to God and stood by the truth. Throughout the week God has given me strength and even hope about what a dismal experience of betrayal and deception that seems to linger to this day. God has given me Hope that He can help me rise above the hurt, slander, falsehood, and persecution. God has shown that blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake…once again God has taught me that hope in trying times must come through trust in Him. He has also given me the Hope that know matter what He will protect my character and someday all things will be clearly seen for what they are…the truth has and will always set us free.
Thank you God for a Hope that is a true Hope that only you can give.
Greetings Broadman Family…I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Blessed New Year.
As we enter this New Year may we all be mindful of God’s faithfulness that endures to all generations. Our God has faithfulness at the core of His character. He is our Rock, Consistent, Stable, Unfalling, Merciful, Loving and so much more. He is the perfect example of Loyalty to all of us.
That is why 2008 is about Faithfulness…not on God’s part becasue He has been Faithful throughout all of eternity and since the creation of all things. However, mankind has not. God’s people are called to be Faithful…as a result of our faithfulness God promises to bless us.
So how can we be faithful? It starts with the heart…it is a matter of perspective, committment, decision, loyality and priorities. God alone deserves our worship. Yet, we allow so many “idols” of worldiness steal our faithfulness to Him. The truth is you will worship someone or something…the same goes for faithfulness…you will make a choice. We can choose the world…we can let events pull us away from God and church. We can choose to spend our money on temporal things and go into debt and then not be able to give God’s way. We can let our kids rule the home and take us away from God. We can let the media influence our views of the world. We can make a lot of choices and come up with a lot of excuses…but God asks for our faithfulness.
Some of you may think I am being harsh…but not so. I am being godly in trying to crush any view of worldiness and evil that would still your devotion of faithfulness to God and His church.
I hope this year…all of us will pledge to be more faithful. If we have allowed shool activities, work, pleasure, sin or anything else to keep us from faithfully serviing God…I hope you will turn from the SIN OF UNFAITHFULNESS and return to God. He will restore you. I also, hope that part of your faithfulness will be to the Church…attendence, serving, giving and so forth. God calls us to these things…they must be a priority.
For those who are the faithful…you are an example and encouragement to me. Thank you all for your faithfulness. I pray you will remain faithful and I will work side by side wiht you along with the Lord’s help. May we all be found faithful ijn 2008.
Pastor Chris
